PRIMARY pupils enjoyed a sneak peek at the construction of their long-awaited new school last week.

Penyfai Church in Wales Primary is set to re-open in autumn 2013 on the site of the old school following the £4.3m facelift.

Apprentices from nearby Bridgend College have also been on hand to help, setting out blocks that will form the school’s new music room.

The school will feature a new nursery unit, reception class and a complete refurbishment of the hall and classrooms.

The new building is also designed to be environmentally friendly with the installation of solar hot water systems motion sensitive lights.

The children, who were invited to the site by builders from Cowlin Construction Ltd, were shown artist impressions of what the future school could look like.

They also provided a helping hand to the young apprentices as they set out blocks and a range of similar tasks.

David Harris, the Welsh division managing director of Cowlin, spoke of the children’s involvement in the project.

He said: “We are particularly pleased to be in a position to deliver such a wonderful facility for the community and specifically the children within it.

“We relish the opportunity to involve students in the delivery of the school and hope that it encourages them to aim for careers in construction.

“The delivery of this school is a team approach involving the school, the council and many other stakeholders which will result in an enviable state of the art teaching facility by the autumn of 2013.”

The construction is receiving funding from Bridgend County Borough Council and the Welsh Government.

Councillor Mike Gregory, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “After the tremendous effort shown by staff, teachers, governors, pupils and the local community to get us to this point, it’s amazing to see how quickly the new school is going up.

“The day that the children can move into their new classrooms is going to be special indeed – this really is set to be a school fit for modern, 21st century learning.”